Highlights

• Gauss Minigun excels with rapid-fire shots, high damage, and customizability to take down foes with ease.
• Auto Grenade Launcher is a must-have for open area firefights, mowing through enemies with powerful explosive grenades.
• Deathclaw Gauntlet is a unique and powerful melee weapon that can be obtained from various sources for close combat.

Every Vault Dweller needs a few key items to survive out in the nuclear wastelands. The most important resources include food, water, medicine, armor, and most importantly, a good weapon. Weapons are easy to come by in Fallout 76, but there are a select few that stand out from the rest.

Whether due to their Damage Output, their attributes, or their customizability, each weapon offers a unique approach to every situation. From rifles to melee weapons, here are a few of the most powerful Fallout 76 weapons that will help you combat the many threats of the wasteland.

Updated on April 19, 2024, by Andrew Scariati: Fallout 76 has been kicking for over five years, with numerous patches and content updates that have kept the game afloat. However, none of the game's events has equaled the massive spike the player base has seen since the Fallout TV show premiered. We've added two newcomers to Fallout 76's best weapons; check them out below.

15 Gauss Minigun

A heavy gun that absolutely decimates foes with a single burst, the Gauss Minigun is one of the best weapons in Fallout 76 and a valuable addition to your inventory regardless of playstyle. The rapid-fire shots will tear through ammo and health bars, so try not to get carried away when your enemy is already felled.

To maximize this weapon's damage, a slew of upgrades can be implemented at a workbench. Some of these mods end up turning this Gauss Minigun into a legendary weapon as well, adding up to three unique effects to augment the already impressive damage.

How To Obtain:

• Can be crafted once the weapon plan is purchased from Mortimer.
• Can be found as legendary weapons once the plan is obtained.

14 Auto Grenade Launcher

A weapon that can end firefights with a resounding bang, the Auto Grenade Launcher is one of Fallout 76's best weapons that is a must-have if you wish to go in guns-blazing in any firefight — especially in open areas.

If you utilize the power of the Auto Grenade Launcher properly, you'll find yourself mowing through enemies with ease as you batter your foes with highly-damaging explosive grenades.

How To Obtain:

• Dropped from Scorchers and Super Mutants at high levels.

13 Deathclaw Gauntlet

A powerful and unique weapon in the series that has helped many melee fighters get through nerve-wracking fights with the greatest of ease, the Deathclaw Gauntlet is an easy recommendation if you wish to upgrade your melee fighting potential in Fallout 76.

Cutting and slashing through enemies with this gauntlet is quite a blast, though it's dangerous to be too reliant on this weapon. This is especially true against enemies who have highly powerful melee attacks — keeping your distance and firing from long range is a better course of action.

How To Obtain:

• Can be bought from weapon merchants.
• Can be found near the Deathclaw nest during The Devil's Due questline.
• Occasionally dropped by raiders, although this is quite rare.

12 All Rise

What’s better than a sledgehammer? A sledgehammer with a rocket attached to it, of course. Fire up your All Rise and watch it crush foes like a hammer crushes an egg. The All Rise is a legendary super sledge with a twist: it has a 90 percent weight reduction and adds ten health.

The perks of this sledgehammer include no ammunition cost and cleaving through enemies by the boatload.

To augment its Base Damage of 160, couple this with the Martial Artist and Slugger perk cards. With lowered weight, faster swings, and even higher damage output, it is a force to be reckoned with.

How To Obtain:

• Quest reward for completing Mayor for a Day.

11 The Dragon

Fallout 76 has a weapon called the Black Powder Rifle that boasts over 200 Base Damage. Enter The Dragon: a Black Powder Rifle on steroids and one of Fallout 76's best weapons. With a Base Damage of 230, it is already a powerful weapon. Then you realize that it has four barrels that discharge all at once when fired, leading to a potential Base Damage 920 if all rounds connect.

You can greatly amplify the Damage Output by employing the Rifleman and Covert Operative perk cards and using the weapon as an opener for any engagement. Due to the increased damage and sneak multiplier, The Dragon evaporates enemies into pink mist.

How To Obtain:

• Sold by Grahm, the Free States Vendor, and vendor bots in Harpers Ferry and Watoga Station.
• May drop from David Thorpe, fog crawlers, honey beasts, and the Scorchbeast queen.
• Can be found at the Eastern Regional Penitentiary, Ash Heap, Thunder Mountain power plant, Uncanny Caverns, Garrahan Mining Headquarters, and Morgantown Airport.

10 Perfect Storm

The 10mm bullet is one of those ammunition rounds that hangs around but doesn’t see much use, accumulating in the thousands. Why not use them to fill enemies with lead while setting them on fire? Enter the Perfect Storm: a legendary 10mm submachine gun that sets enemies ablaze for three seconds, dealing additional fire damage.

After fully modifying the weapon, be sure to equip the Commando Perk (yes, it is an SMG but counts as a rifle) to boost the damage even further. Enjoy the satisfying bullet plinks as your enemy's health bar burns to zero.

How To Obtain:

• Quest reward for completing Cold Case.

9 Black Diamond

One of the weirder melee weapons in Fallout 76, Black Diamond is one of the best Fallout 76 weapons that will stick with you for a while. A modified ski with angry-looking teeth welded on, this melee weapon is a fast and heavy-hitting machine with the bonus of adding one point of strength to your stats.

It is recommended that, after modifying it, you couple it with the Martial Artist Perk to increase the swing speed, and the Gladiator Perk to increase its base damage as you slice through West Virginia.

How To Obtain:

• Quest reward for completing Flavors of Mayhem.

8 Gatling Gun

In all its spinning glory, the Gatling Gun shines in battle. After a few cranks, you can unleash a steady stream of lead toward your foes. This mid-range weapon is obtained by various means; however, it's most commonly found on mid-game enemies, weapon containers, and government supply drops.

A multitude of mods can be applied to this weapon that improves the rate of fire and increases its ammunition capacity. When using this weapon, the recommended perks are Bear Arms to lower the weight of the weapon, and the Heavy Gunner to improve its Damage Output.

How To Obtain:

• Quest reward for completing Defiance has Fallen.
• Can be found at Lucky Hole Mine or Poseidon Energy Plant WV-06.
• The plan for this gun can sometimes be sold at the Watoga Shopping Plaza.

7 Sniper Rifle

The Sniper Rifle, also referred to as a Hunting Rifle is one of the best weapons Fallout 76 has to offer for long-range engagements. After adding a scope modification and converting the weapon to accept .50 cal rounds, you'll see the power of a sniper shot firsthand.

Crouch and use your terrain to stay hidden and trigger the bonus damage from performing a Sneak Attack. Sneak Attacks grant bonus damage when you hit a target that's unaware of your presence, resulting in massively powerful shots. There's no better way to defend your well-placed C.A.M.P than with a Sniper Rifle.

Maintain distance to avoid detection and consider a suppressor to ensure your first shot doesn't reveal your position.

How To Obtain:

• At the trainyard, east of Watoga.
• The Weapon Plan can be looted from containers or creatures in the Savage Divide.

6 Pepper Shaker

The Pepper Shaker is a unique automatic heavy shotgun that puts all other shotguns to shame. The powerful eight-shell blast can be rapidly fired to eviscerate enemies in seconds from close range.

This incredible weapon won't just be found on the ground though, so your only way to get your own is via crafting or trading with a player.

Bosses cower at the sight of this gargantuan gun, and you should too if you challenge someone using one to a duel. While you'll usually be ripping through shotgun shells with this weapon, you can modify it to accept plasma cartridges or fusion cells instead — if you've got a stockpile of those lying around. Equip some shotgun perk cards and take this thing out for a spin; you won't regret it.

How To Obtain:

• The plan can only be acquired from Grahm's Meat Cook as a rare drop.

5 Gauss Rifle

The whirling of this gun's powerful energy coils alone is enough to justify playing Fallout 76. The Gauss Rifle is one of Fallout 76's best weapons, as it slings radioactive materials at high velocities toward your enemies.

This powerhouse weapon can be found on high-level enemies, or the plans can be bought from the Brotherhood of Steel.

The best way to employ this weapon is to mod it out as much as you can, charge it up, and go for sneak attacks. You can equip the Rifleman Perk to damage boost the rifle and then Covert Operative to max out the sneak multiplier for devastating effect. The Gauss Rifle uses the easily made 2mm electromagnetic cartridge, which means ammunition will never be a hassle.

How To Obtain:

• Dropped by Deathclaws and Scorchbeasts.
• Sold in the Whitespring Bunker and Watoga Station.
• Found in Abandoned Mine Shaft 4 and Cranberry Bog.

4 The Flamer

The Flamer was arguably the most broken weapon in the days of legacy weapons when certain perks were unintentionally available on guns that shouldn't use them, like explosive rounds on a Flamer. However, despite having its legacy status wiped when those perks were removed, the Flamer still handles groups of enemies well.

The Flamer is arguably Fallout 76's best weapon for close-quarters combat, as you simply need to point in a hostile's general direction to light them ablaze with your flamethrower. The best weapons in Fallout 76 all have distinct qualities that set them apart, and the Flamer's potency in small hallways is no exception.

How To Obtain:

• Two are available in the Neopolitan Casino (near the kitchen and laundry rooms).
• One is available at Quarry X3 behind the yellow pump, on the platform.

3 Tesla Rifle

The Tesla Rifle is a workhorse weapon that clears hordes of minor enemies with ease. Wastelanders around since Fallout 76's early days will recall the incredible power of the rare legacy variation. However, that's not to say the base version can't do an amazing job of dispatching devilish Scorched.

With each trigger pull, arc energy bursts out, chaining between enemies within a certain radius. While each chained target takes 35 percent less damage than the previous one, rapid successive hits will add up quickly, shredding through health bars. If you want to bump the damage up a bit, use a Charging Shotgun Barrel mod to gain an extra 30 energy damage per hit.

How To Obtain:

• Can be found from deatchlaws or bosses as a rare drop.
• The plan is sold by the Brotherhood of Steel vendor (Phoenix) in Watoga Shopping Plaza.

2 The Fixer

The Fixer will stand out to you if you prefer a stealthy approach. In addition to its intrinsic stealth bonus, you can augment this excellent rifle with legendary stealth perks, or other powerful modifications to add explosive damage or double the shots fired per trigger pull.

At base, The Fixer rewards you with a ton of bonuses in stealth, allowing you to mow down enemies in a few hits while simultaneously moving faster in stealth mode. It's the perfect weapon to rain havoc on your enemies, and can still decimate foes once your stealth is broken.

How To Obtain:

• Quest reward upon completing Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.

1 Handmade Rifle

This is probably the most sought-after weapon in the game; when perfectly modified — and perks are applied — it can melt even the strongest enemies. What makes the Handmade Rifle so good is a combination of excellent stats and a range of powerful customization options.

From a variety of magazines, hardened receivers, and barrel augments, to its fast fire rate and high base damage, this weapon will carry you through any fight. Depending on the way you mod this weapon's fire rate, make sure to pair it with either the Commando or Rifleman perks to maximize its Damage Output.

How To Obtain:

• Can be found in Big Bend Tunnel, Charleston Capitol Courthouse, under The Burrows, the roof of the Amelia Espresso building, and the salon at Berkeley Springs.
• Sold by Grahm, the Watoga vendor bot and Sunny.
• Dropped by raiders, settlers, mothman cultists, Free Radicals, yao guai, honey beasts, and crowned boss enemies.